Compensation claim
28/04/2011

Road accident compensation paid out to cyclist

A cyclist from West Yorkshire has been awarded £2,000 in road accident compensation after he crashed into a pothole causing him to fly off his bike.

The 52-year-old, who was cycling from Littleborough to Heptonstall,in 2008 was catapulted off his vehicle when the front wheel of his bicycle went into a pothole.

The accident caused him personal injury which included abrasions and cuts, leading him to seek legal advice from a national cyclists' organisation.

He felt that he was eligible to make a compensation claim from the authorities responsible, although he did state that his accident could have been much more devastating if it had occurred an hour earlier when rush hour was under way.

Although potholes cause a significant amount of injury to cyclists, all road users can be affected including the drivers of larger vehicles such as lorries.

A spokesperson for Yorkshire Water, the company responsible for maintenance of the road where the pothole had occurred, issued an apology to the victim, and assured other road users that the problem had been repaired shortly after the accident took place.

In order to reduce the likelihood of accidents occurring, road users and pedestrians should report pot holes as soon as they are spotted.

Luckily the individual in this case suffered only minor injury, for which he received more than £2,000 in road accident compensation, but further road traffic accidents might have taken place if the pothole had not been filled quickly.